


Seeing Value Only After Discarding It

by punk_rock_yuppie



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, Apologies, Dysfunctional Relationship, Fluff, M/M, mild infidelity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2016-08-29
Packaged: 2018-08-11 17:55:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7902214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punk_rock_yuppie/pseuds/punk_rock_yuppie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>faded-dreams-and-blue-jeans prompted coldwave+a kiss that shouldn’t have happened</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seeing Value Only After Discarding It

Len’s blood is boiling. He’s swirling his whiskey in a glass and barely feels the burn each time he takes a perfunctory sip. His stomach is doing somersaults and he can’t help his knee from bouncing with adrenaline. Lisa, sitting beside him, looks concerned but makes no move to comfort Len. She knows better than to get in his way, even with good intentions. 

Across the bar, Mick has a bottle of scotch clasped tight in one hand, and the ass of some random woman grasped in his other. His mouth is sealed across hers and Len can see the gaudy red lipstick staining Mick’s mouth from where he sits. 

His heart pounds in his ears and he downs the rest of his whiskey. “I’m leaving,” he hisses at Lisa. “Makes sure he doesn’t end up in a ditch somewhere.” He tosses too much money on the table and leaves without a second glance back at Mick. 

-

Len looks up, glasses perched on the bride of his nose, when the door to his room–their room–creaks open. Hell, even the floorboards sound guilty as they groan under Mick’s weight. Len doesn’t put down his book, doesn’t take off his glasses, only keeps his face stoic and icy in response to the shameful flush on Mick’s skin. 

“Lenny,” Mick croaks. The only saving grace is any trace of that red lipstick seems to have been washed from his skin. Len can’t say what he’d do if there were any sight of it leftover, honestly. 

“Mick,” Len drawls in response. He turns his attention back to his book. He reads silently for a while, then turns the page. The sound is crisp and sharp in the air and is followed by the click of their bedroom door falling shut. After that, there’s the muted sounds of Mick stripping off his excess clothes, until he’s in ratty jeans and an even rattier tank top. 

“Lenny, c’mon.”

Len’s eyes burns and he blinks rapidly to get rid of the feeling. “No, you’re right, Mick. We never agreed on anything. I’m being childish,” he grits out the words and turns the next page hard enough to tear a bit. Frustrated he snaps the book shut and tosses it to the edge of the bed. He looks at Mick again, only a little startled to realize how much closer Mick has gotten in the past few minutes. 

Mick drops to his knees beside the bed and his hands immediately seek out Len’s waist, his wrist, anything, any skin he can reach. Len refuses to melt into the burning touch but he can’t deny the bloom of comfort that bubbles under his skin. 

“Lenny, I’m sorry,” Mick murmurs. He doesn’t meet Len’s eyes, instead looking down at the carpet. “Realized you left when it was Lisa pulling me away by the ear. Got a good talkin’ to, she didn’t cut me any slack.” Mick grins a bit ruefully. “I feel like a jackass, Len.”

“Good.”

“It shouldn’ta happened.”

“Then why did it, Mick?” Len snaps. His voice is harsh but he reaches out with long, shaking fingers to scrape along Mick’s scalp.

“Cuz I was drunk n’stupid n’ignoring what’s right in front of me.”

Len bites the inside of his cheek. “It’s not the first time you’ve done that.” 

“If I told ya it’d be the last, would you believe me?” Mick doesn’t have the guts to sound hopeful. His voice is gruff and flat and Len groans. 

“Get up here you sorry bastard.” Len scoots just enough to make room for Mick on the bed. “I’m not saying I believe you, but I  _am_  saying that if it happens again, no one is going to find your body.” 

Mick nods, eager, and clambers onto the bed. He grabs at Len’s arms and hauls him closer. “Sounds fair, Lenny.” 


End file.
